Clothes-washing machine



May 31, 1949. M. KAHN 2,471,433

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1943 5 INVENTOR.

" /44 W Leo JIL/(ahn @mL m+ 1 M ATTO EYS Patented May 31, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE cno'rnas-wasnmo monma- Leo M. Kahn, New York, N. Y.5 Application April 16, 1943, Serial no.4sazso -3 Claims. (01. 68-23) g This invention relates to laundry machinery,

and more particularly to a washing machine.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a laundry machine of the above nature which is simple, inexpensive and sturdy in construction, and which is capable of carrying out all of the laundry Operations of washing and extracting with a minimum amount of trouble, and at the same time with a high degree of efficiency.

Other objects will be in part apparent, and in part pointed out hereinafter. I

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts, all as will be exemplifled in the structure hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the drawing, wherein I have shown one form of my washer and extractor,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing the washing attachment in place on the machine base;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken along the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken along the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5'is a diagrammatic view of the interlock between the extractor clutch and the machine transmission. v

The principal structural features of my washing machine are shown in Figures 1-5. Thus, as shown in Figure 1, the machine is shown with the table leaves 85 and 86 and drops 81 and 88 folded. Base frame 22 (Figure 1) has pivotally connected thereto a pair of fulcrum arms I39 and I40 which, as shown in Figure 2, are pivotaliy attached to lugs I4I fastened to the frame. These arms maybe pivoted to the position shown in Figure 1, through suitable slots I42 formed in the center section 8| of the platform, wherein their upper ends are horizontally aligned (see Figure 1) and are accordingly in proper position to receive a pair of lugs I43 and I44 (Figure 2) fastened to the bottom of the washer tank generally indicated at I45. Washer tank I45 (Figure 1) has fastened to the bottom thereof a pair of hooks I46 and I41, the latter of which detachably I 2 tachably carries the upper end of a short spring I50, the lower end of which is connected to a chain I5I. The lower end of this chain is connected to one end of a lever I52 which may be pivoted as by a detachable pin about the axis of any one of several holes I53 formed in the bottom of a depending strut I54, the upper end of which is fastened to base frame 22. The other end of lever I52 is connected by a link I55 to a short post I56 secured to and extending from the lower end of plunger so that when plunger 35 moves up and down upon rotation of cam 34, lever I52 is rocked about its pivot and accordingly tank I45 is rocked about its pivotal axis formed by the fulcrums I39 and 40. The amount of pivotal movement imparted to washer tank I 45 may be varied by adlusting the pivotal axis of lever I52 between a maximum when the right-hand hole I53 is chosen, and a minimum when the left-hand hole I53 is chosen. If desired, the right-hand end of lever I52, as viewed in Figure 1, may carry a suitable follower (not shown) adapted to extend into a positive cam slot (not shown) cut in or formed on the left-hand face of cam 34, in which event springs I48 and I50 and chain I5I may be dispensed with and a rigid link (not shown) used to connect the tank with lever I52. It will now appear that when the motor switch (not shown) is closed, motor 30 operates continuously, and accordingly washer tank I45 (Figure 1) rocks back and forth continuously until the switch is opened.

. It is preferable, however, that plunger 35 be in carries the upper end of a spring I48, the'lower end of which may be secured to a pin I49 or the like secured to one of base legs 2i. When spring- I45 is attached to hook I41 on the washer tank, it biases the tank about its pivotal axis toward its down or solid line position, as shown in Figure 1, when washer tank I45 is installed or removed from the machine.

It will be noted that tank I45 is provided with a door I58 through which access may be had to a drum generally indicated at I59 in which the soiled clothes are placed, or through which the drum, together with its contents, may be installed in the tank or removed therefrom. Also, tank I45 is provided with suitable openings, such as a. soap inlet I60, a fresh water inlet I 6| and a drain I62. Suitably secured to the bottom of .tank I45 are a. pair of L-shaped sections or tracks tank.

At the opposite ends of tank I45 (Figure 1) I preferably provide opposed pairs of elevating and stopping guides or tracks I65 and I66 which coact with trunnions or hubs I61 and I68 on the drum (Figure 3) to raise the drumand stop its the position shown in Figure 1. Hook I46 demovement at the end of its travel in the tank, thus preventing the drum from banging against the ends of the tank. Guides or elevators I68 serve a further purpose, which will be described hereinafter. Tank I45 (Figure 1) preferably includes opposed depresser plates fastened to opposite sides of .the tank, one of which is shown at I69. These guides I69 overlie drum trunnions I61 and I68 for all positions thereof within tank I45, and accordingly assure proper travel and rotation of the drum through the tank and prevent its floating therethrough as the tank rocks.

It will now appear that as tank I55 rocks back and forth about its pivotal axis, by means of the mechanism heretofore described, drum I59 is caused to roll back and forth through the tank so that the soiled garments in the drum are tumbled about and accordingly thoroughly washed during the operation of the tank. To facilitate the tumbling of the clothes within drum I59, I preferably provide a suitable number of ribs or elongated projections I10. Also, drum- I50 has a suitably hinged and latched door I through which clothes may be placed in or removed from the drum.

When it is desirable to use the washer described as an extractor, tank IE is stopped in the position shown in Figure l. The tank and drum I59 may thereupon be opened, as described, to permit access to a movable partition I12 (Figure 3) which is placed in the full line position shown when drum I5) is being used as a washer, but which may be moved to the dotted position when the drum is to be used as an extractor. Partition I12 may be held in its dotted line position by suitable lugs I13 or the like, fastened to the inner periphery of the drum, and which ride through slots 812a and i122) when the partition is moved over. This movement of the partition crowds the wet clothes into the confined area defined by the partition in its dotted line position and the left-hand side of the drum, as viewed in Figure 3, in which area the clothes may be evenly distributed so as to impart a better balance to the drum and accordingly cut down vibration upon rapid rotation thereof. As shown in Figure 3, the left side of drum I59 has a more or less conical plate secured thereto while the left-hand surface 112a of partition 512 is similarly shaped, thus facilitating the even distribution of the wet clothes about the inner pe-- riphery of the drum. It might be noted that partition I12 may be maintained in its full line position by a pair of lugs I similar to lugs I15. When it is desired to move the partition from one position to another, it is merely necessary to rotate it until its lots I12a register with that pair of the lugs involved, whereupon the partition may be slid past the lugs and then rotated slightly to lock the partition back of the lugs. The partition is provided with suitable openings or slots, through which ribs I10 (Figure 1) extend, sufficientlv wide to permit this partial locking or unlocking rotation of the partition. Also, springs I48 and I50 advantageously operate as vibration dampeners 'during extracting rotation of the drum.

As shown in Figure 4, hub or trunnion I61 of drum I59 is provided with a plurality of holes I15 to receive pins I18 fastened to and extending from a plate I11 mounted on the right-hand end of a short shaft I18 which is axially movable within a sleeve I11 rotatably mounted in a bearing l8!) fastened to the side of tank I45. Sleeve I19 has an annular slot I19a formed therein, in which is disposed a spring I80 which biases shaft I18 to the right, i. e. in a direction to cause a driving connection between plate I11 and tank hub I81 by the insertion of pins I18 on the plate in holes I15 in the hub. Adjacent the left-hand end of shaft I18 is a pin I8I which extends through the shaft and is accordingly rotatable therewith relative to sleeve I19 until the pin registers with a slot I82 formed in the left-hand end of the sleeve. When the pin and slot thus register, spring I80 forces shaft I18 to the right, drawing pin I8I into slot I82 and accordingly efiecting a driving connection between shaft I18 and sleeve I10. It should be noted that the inner end, i. e. the right-hand end of sleeve I18 is outwardly flanged as at I19a, while the left-hand end of the sleeve carries a nut I192), the flange and nut thus clamping the sleeve in place within its bearing I80.

The extreme left-hand end of shaft 18 has a pulley I83 fastened thereto and this pulley is connectable with a driving pulley I85 (Figure 1) by a removable belt I85. Thus it will appear that when pulleys 186 and I83 are connected, and pulley I84 is driven, drum I59 is rotated, assuming that there is a driving connection between plate I11 and drum hub I81 (Figure 4).

As drum I59 (Figure 1), when full of wet clothes is somewhat heavy, it would be difficult properly to position it so that hubs I51 and I58 (Figure 3) would be coaxially aligned with shaft 510 and pulley I84. (It should be noted that hub I58 is connectable with a supporting shaft generally indicated at I88 in the same manner that hub I81 is connectable with shaft I18.) When the tank 55 is in its Figure 1 position, elevator guides I68 raise drum we to a position wherein the drum axis almost coaxial with the axis of pulley I83 (Figure 3) thus rendering it easy to connect the tank hubs I51 and IE8 with shafts I18 and I85. It will be noted (Figure 4) that the axes of pins E15 are slightly above the axes of their corresponding holes I15 when plate I11 and hub I15 are separated. Also the ends of the pins are preferably rounded. Thus when the pins enter their respective holes the hub and accordingly the drum are raised by an amount equal to the axial displacement of the pins and holes so that hub I81 does not rub against guide its when the drum is rotated. The other drum hub I58 (Figure 3) is similarly raised from its guide E55.

It will now appear that drum I59 is readilyconvertible into an extractor and upon operation of pulley I85 (Figure 1) it may be rapidly Whirled, thus to force the water out of the wet clothes therein in the usual manner. However, when drum I59 is used as an extractor, the driving connection which causes tank I55 to rock back and forth should be disconnected, and accordinglv I have provided an interlock which precludes the rocking of the tank during extracting rotation of the drum. To this end I have shown in F gure 5 motor 30 which has a clutch I81 provided with a clutch lever I88 pivotally connected by a link I89 to one arm I90 of a bell crank lever pivoted as at I9I. The other arm I92 of the bell crank is rigidly fastened to an operating arm I93 having a handle I94 which is readily accessible to t e operator of the machine.

Operating lever I'93 (Figure 5) is pivotally connected as by a link I95 to a lever I96 extending from transmission 32 and adapted in one position to disconnect the transmission from the washer driving mechanism and in another position to connect the transmission to the washer between transmission 32 and the washer operating mechanism.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention, and as many changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a laundry machine, in combination, a support, an elongated tank rockably mounted on said support, means in said support connected to said tank for rocking said tank, a drum disposed in said tank for rolling movement from one end of the tank to the other as the tank is rocked, means at each end of said tank for limiting the movement of said drum therewithin, and

means for locking said drum at one endof said tank.

2. In a laundry machine, in combination, a support, an elongated tank rockably mounted on said support, means in said support connected to said tank for rocking said tank, a .drum disposed in said tank for rolling movement from one end of the tank to the other as the tank is rocked, means at each end of said tank for limiting the movement of said drum therewithin, and guard means for restraining said drum from rising from its operative path as it rolls through said tank.

3. In a. laundry machine, in, combination, a, support, an elongated tank rookably mounted on said. support, means in said support connected to said. tank for rocking said tank, a drum disposed in said tank for rolling movement from one end of the tank to the other as the. tank. is rocked, means at each end of said tank for limiting the movement of said drum therewithin, means for locking said drum at one end of said tank, and means forming a driving connection. between said tank rocking means andsaid drum for rotating said drum when it is in said locked 1 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 197,229 Scoville 1 Nov. 20,- 1877 460,420 Allen Sept. 29, 1891 505,907 Storie Oct. 3, 1893 570,360 Acheson Oct. 27, 1896 1,059,029 Cameron Apr. 15, 1913 1,246,723 Cuttle Nov. 13, 1917 1,359,537 Sargent Nov. 23, 1920 1,436,680 Power Nov. 28, 1922 1,686,312 Davis Oct. 2, 1928 1,700,749 Sinclair Feb. 9, 1929 1,753,416 Higgins Apr. 8, 1930 1,825,019 Snyder Sept. 29, 1931 1,969,082 Knutsen Aug. 7, 1934 2,011,388 Watts Aug. 13, 1935 2,053,531 Parsons Sept. 8, 1936 2,133,903 Pyne Sept. 18, 1938 2,119,719 Wardwell June 7, 1938 2,205,130 Belding June 18, 1940 2,311,924 Bassett Feb. 23, 1943 2,337,586 Bowen Dec. 28, 1943 

